At a Glance

Immerse yourself in the world of Jane Austen — her novels, her life and the Regency period in which she lived — on an instructive and imaginative learning adventure at gorgeous Lake Geneva. In Austen’s “Emma,” Miss Bates proclaims, “It is such a happiness when good people get together.” Get together with a few good people as you cast yourselves in the roles of members of the English gentry to discover or rediscover Austen’s works, and discuss their themes of gender, social hierarchy, courtship and gossip. Learn how Austen’s keen insights created enduring characters like Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy in “Pride and Prejudice” and the Dashwood sisters in “Sense and Sensibility,” and partake in a variety of activities suitable for well-off ladies and gentlemen, including a lakeside promenade, lawn games, archery and evening theater.

Activity Level

On Your Feet

Significant walking on both level ground and up and down hills.

Small Group

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 10 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you'll ...

Delve into the history of England during the Georgian era at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Take part in a special Regency-themed dinner and an evening of English country dancing.

Featured Expert

All Experts

Debra Ann Miller

Debra Ann Miller has been an actress and voice over talent for over 25 years. She has toured the country with Child's Play Touring Theatre, Artreach, and the Reading is Fundamental program, as well as working in Chicago theaters. In addition to portraying Jane Austen, Debra is currently touring the country in With Lincoln Production's Visiting the Lincolns' and Mrs. Lincoln's Salon, as Mary Todd Lincoln; as Louisa May Alcott in Noble Discontent and more.

Nancy Walczyk

Christine Brookes

Debra Ann Miller

Suggested Reading List

View 4 books

Jane Austen, A Life

by Claire Tomalin

A glimpse into the interior and family life of the real Jane Austen, a brilliant writer but also a shy woman whose family struggled to rise in social standing. Tomalin’s historical research into Austen’s clan provides interesting parallels to her novels. Tomalin argues, also, that Austen drew much inspiration from the great comic operas of Mozart.

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew

by Daniel Pool

With excellent humor and an eye for detail, Pool clarifies the social customs, class distinctions and obsolete vocabulary of the Georgians and Victorians.

Jane Austen's England

by Lesley Adkins, Roy Adkins

Lesley and Roy Adkins draw on a rich array of contemporary sources, including previously unpublished manuscripts, diaries and personal letters, for this cultural portrait of everyday life in Regency England.

Any of the Novels

by Jane Austen

There are 6 novels to choose from, "Sense and Sensibility", "Pride and Prejudice", "Mansfield Park", "Emma", "Northanger Abbey", and "Persuasion". S&S, P&P and Emma usually top the list of favorites by readers. All the novels have been turned into feature films and television series.

Activity note: Check-in from 4:00 p.m. You are welcome to arrive as early as you like, but accommodations will not be available before the noted time.

Afternoon: Program Registration. After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, other important information, and learn when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

Dinner: In the retreat center dining room, the buffet offers a variety of hot dishes as well as salads and dessert, plus soft drinks, milk, coffee, tea, water.

Evening: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Lectures throughout the week will be approximately 1.5 hours long. The first morning lecture will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the second starting at 11:00 a.m. The afternoon lecture will start at 2:00 p.m. Times are subject to change. Please let your Group Leader know about any dietary restrictions or mobility needs prior to the start of the program. Periods in the schedule labeled "Free Time" or "At Leisure" offer opportunities to make the program more meaningful and memorable while going out to explore on your own, engaging in available activities independently, making new friends among fellow Road Scholars, or simply relaxing. The Group Leader will always be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distance or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night's rest for the day ahead.

Morning: Jane Austen visits you from the autumn of 1815. Her first three novels, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park are published, and Emma is complete. She will speak about her childhood in Steventon, her brothers and beloved sister Cassandra and her writing. After a break, we’ll resume with our second lecture that introduces the time in which Jane Austen lived. Who were all the Georges and what was the Regency? What else was happening in the world during this time that would have influenced Jane's writing?

Afternoon: Learn about the language of flowers and make your own Tussie Mussie to take home along with a handwritten note created using a quill pen. Enjoy a visit from a nationally published author who has written several books about Jane Austen's life.

Dinner: Retreat center buffet.

Evening: Tea figures prominently in Austen's life and work. At the center of almost every social situation in her novels one finds tea. Learn more about tea and the rituals around serving and taking tea.

DAY

3

Archery, Free Afternoon, Period Music

Lake Geneva, WI

B,L,D

Geneva Bay Retreat Center at Covenant Harbor

Breakfast: Retreat center buffet.

Morning: Archery was one of the few outdoor amusements that was suitable for both delicate ladies and strong men. Archery was a way for ladies to demonstrate their elegance and grace. This is your chance to show off your accomplishment to your fellow participants.

Lunch: Retreat center buffet.

Afternoon: Free Time. You might like to take advantage of the beautiful lakeside location for "a very long walk", engage some of your fellow Road Scholars in a spirited game of croquet or bowls. For those looking for some indoor entertainment we'll show "Emma" starring Gwyneth Paltrow in the meeting room.

Dinner: Dining room buffet.

Evening: It is well documented that Jane practiced her music at the fortepiano for an hour each morning. A professional pianist will join us to discuss and perform music of the Regency period that Jane would have known and played.

DAY

4

Roles of Men and Women, Country Dancing, Theatricals

Lake Geneva, WI

B,L,D

Geneva Bay Retreat Center at Covenant Harbor

Breakfast: Dining room buffet.

Morning: As we continue to delve into the world of Regency England, we’ll learn about the roles of men and women in this highly stratified society. It was not a time of equality between the sexes! Beyond the affluence enjoyed by a few, life experiences differed greatly for men and women. We'll expand on this theme using examples from Austen's novels.

Lunch: Dining room buffet.

Afternoon: A favorite activity of Jane and her contemporaries, dancing was a way to be slightly unchaperoned with a potential suitor. There are detailed descriptions of various assemblies and balls in the novels. Learn more about dance during this period and try some simple patterns.

Dinner: Dining room buffet.

Evening: We’ll go further into the mindset of the Regency Period with amateur theatricals. Evenings without television meant that you had to create your own entertainment. We will pass out some short scripts and divide into small groups to perform theatricals such as people of Jane’s time might have done.

DAY

5

Other Authors, Money, Outdoor Games, Jane's Legacy

Lake Geneva, WI

B,L,D

Geneva Bay Retreat Center at Covenant Harbor

Breakfast: Dining room buffet.

Morning: Examine other authors writing at the same time and who would have been known to Jane. Discuss how their works have fared with the passage of time. Do they compare favorably with Jane's work? Money figures prominently in all the novels. Discuss why it was so important.

Lunch: Dining room buffet.

Afternoon: Take some air and try out some Regency games such as croquette, bowls and the game of graces. Afterwards we'll start our wrap-up with a discussion of Jane's legacy -- the movies, the sequels, prequels and even a few zombies.

Evening: Enjoy an evening of Georgian/Regency themed parlor games. Remember, you needed to make your own fun. Learn the game of whist and make a silhouette.

DAY

6

Program Concludes

Lake Geneva, WI

B

Activity note: Check-out is by 10:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Dining room buffet. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Meals

14 Meals

5 Breakfasts

4 Lunches

5 Dinners

The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Lodging

Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.

You'll be staying at the Geneva Bay Retreat Center at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp. Since 1947, this faith-based camp and retreat center has been committed to providing excellent facilities and programming to the youth, families and adults who come to this lakeside location. Situated one mile west of downtown Lake Geneva on 52 beautiful wooded acres, the camp and retreat center offer an ideal location to learn, relax and create lasting relationships. The historic property includes several buildings left from the Sturges Estate created around the time of the Great Chicago Fire when wealthy families built their summer "cottages" at the lake and stayed for the summer season. Today, the Lake Geneva area is still known as Chicago's Summer Backyard. Guests are encouraged to explore the grounds and walk along the public access lake shore path. The path goes all the way around the lake (23 miles total) but even walking a small portion you'll see historic and modern homes, all beautifully kept.

The World of Jane Austen and the Regency Period is not to be missed! The location (Covenant Harbor Camp, Lake Geneva, IL), the instructors and the food
combine for a memorable experience. Boat rides, ballroom dancing, interesting presentations, and hands on activities make the hours pass quickly.

The Webpage expired just when I was on the last question, so I found that I had to start all over again. (And my first responses had been so well prepared!!) I didn't spend as much time on my second set of responses.

I can't recommend this program highly enough. In fact, I wish there were more Road Scholar programs devoted to a single author. I enjoyed everything we did -- from playing croquet to drawing silhouettes to listening to the music Jane would have known on the pianoforte. The location by the lake is wonderful and the food is outstanding. Brooke did a marvelous job in organizing and leading this program. If you like Jane Austen, this opportunity is not to be missed!

My husband and I can't recommend this program highly enough. I enjoyed everything we did -- from trying our hand at archery to drawing silhouettes to making tussie-mussies.The conference center is an ideal location, and the food was marvelous. Brooke is an amazing leader, and I plan to do a program or two with her in 2017.

This is an interesting program that can appeal to all levels of Jane Austin fans. I simply wanted to learn more about her and her time period while some were extremely knowledgeable about her writings or had seen the film productions based in her books numerous times. But we shared together and I believe all learned something new. I recommend this program for anyone who knows Miss Austin and her books, or knows just the film productions. It was exciting to "meet" Miss Austin through the portrayal of her by actress Debra Ann Miller. The location of the program is beautifully located by a lake, the accommodations are clean and inviting, and the food was exceptionally delicious.
Carol W. Elliott, Flagler Beach, Florida

This was a thoroughly delightful program, combining informative and varied lectures (on the history and literature of the times, on Austen herself, on manners and customs) with participation in several of the pastimes of Jane Austen's social set (along with a boat ride along part of the mansion-rich Lake Geneva shoreline). The instructors (to the extent that they were not already Jane Austen devotees) had obviously taken pains to prepare themselves to give us a quality experience. The concluding event, Trevor Stephenson's performance on an 1840s-style pianoforte, was a special delight. Also, the meals were excellent.